The Looking
(The following is my second attempt at poetry. Thanks to L.L. Barkat for her encouragement regarding this attempt. See her very good blog here and her new book, God in the Yard, here.)
The Looking
In the mirror one day,
I saw a self.
Body.
Mind.
Emotion.
I took a closer look and peered into my soul.
The things I saw?
Brokenness.
Fear.
Envy.
Lust.
Insecurity.
One more time I looked into the mirror.
This time I saw a redeemed self
This time I saw a beautiful self.
This time I saw, in the background, Jesus.
By his grace he redeemed me.
Now he is making me into
the self I want to be,
the self that I really am.
Categories: God, Grace, Jesus, Spiritual Formation
I love that part about the you you really are. There is a self inside us, knocking up and down the walls, looking for a way through the cracks. Jesus opens the door, or sometimes pulls us bit by bit through one of those small spaces.
Yay! Poetry! Please keep writing.
by L.L. Barkat on Jul 2, 2010 at 7:29 pm
You too? LL had nudged me in the same poetic direction. What is it with her?
Like you, I am finding that I enjoy it immensely (even started a new blog for it!)
nice introspective work here.
by Bradley J Moore on Jul 2, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Amen, Jim. Good words; good poetry.
by Ted M. Gossard on Jul 2, 2010 at 8:03 pm
I really like this poem! God’s Word is a mirror in which we see our need of Him to fix what is broken. I’ve also been blessed to have friends mirror back to me how God is at work, revealing Himself more and more, and I hadn’t noticed it! Keep up the good work!
by Karin on Jul 2, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Jim, I really enjoyed your poem! Good job! It is a great reminder to see Jesus in the mirror when I look at myself. Also, it is an incredible thing to find Jesus in everyone around me! Thanks for the encouraging words!
by Cara on Jul 3, 2010 at 2:59 am
Cara, thank you for the kind words. I like the way you phrased your second sentence. “It is a great reminder to see Jesus in the mirror when I look at myself.” Very good! It does seem like our self-image would be very different if we had a sense that he is in the mirror and that he really does cherish each one of us.
by Jim Martin on Jul 3, 2010 at 3:54 am
Ted, thank you very much for your kind words. Good to hear from you.
by Jim Martin on Jul 3, 2010 at 3:54 am
Karin, thanks for the encouraging words. How blessed you are to have friends likfe this who mirror back to you how God has been at work. This is a powerful testimony to the importance of these kinds of redemptive friendships.
by Jim Martin on Jul 3, 2010 at 3:56 am
Thanks Bradley. L.L. has been a real encourager regarding these poems. Would love to visit your blog. Thanks very much.
by Jim Martin on Jul 3, 2010 at 3:58 am
L.L., thank you for your encouragement. You are so right about the self inside that is looking for a way to get out.
There is something about writing something like this (a poem) that I find very difficult and yet very satisfying. I am impressed that write poetry as often as you do. Thanks so much.
by Jim Martin on Jul 3, 2010 at 4:03 am